Studying the opportunities and challenges of COVID-19 pandemic from managers and experts’ view point in Iran: A qualitative study

Study Objective:

Determining the opportunities and challenges of COVID-19 disease pandemic from the perspective of managers and specialists and providing policy options for Iran health system

Summary:

According to the World Health Organization, viral diseases pose a major threat to public health. In recent years, there have been several viral epidemics, such as SARS (2002-2003), the flu in 2009, the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome or MERS in Saudi Arabia. A new coronavirus called acute respiratory infection is the newest pulmonary common disease which was seen in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The disease shocked society, health systems, the economy and governments around the world heavily. The emergence of COVID-19 has the risk of world disintegration, conflict, and racism, but the alternative scenario could be a collective action at the community, and even international level, to get out of this crisis faster and more smoothly. This pandemic has questioned the quality of governments and the capabilities of statesmen (leaders). If the authorities fail to serve the citizens, they will lose their credibility and legitimacy. In the event of a crisis, competence and capability come first. Governments around the world are changing in response to this pandemic with technological and industrial advances. Given the emergence of COVID-19 and its rapid transmission to become a pandemic, it is necessary to study the challenges that specialists and managers of the health system face with in Iran and use the created opportunities to learn experience and readiness to face with such a crisis in the future. The purpose of this project is to examine the challenges and opportunities of this disease from the perspective of health managers and policy makers, in order to present the results internationally. This study provides evidence by which the opportunities will be used and the challenges will be addressed.

How   the results will be used: The results of this study provide necessary information on the challenges and opportunities of COVID-19 emergence to use its benefits and hinder from its shortcomings in future as a guide for policymakers and health planners and contributes to informed policy-making evidence.